Manchester City’s hat-trick hero Phil Foden has goals in his veins, says Pep Guardiola

LONDON – Phil Foden has an incredible gift for scoring goals, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said after his young attacker scored a sublime hat-trick in a 4-1 thrashing of Aston Villa on April 3 that kept them on course to retain their English Premier League title.

With City’s league-leading scorer Erling Haaland an unused substitute, Foden stepped up, finding a gap in Villa’s wall with a superb free kick just before half-time to net his first goal of the night. Rodri had given City the lead before Jhon Duran equalised midway through the first half.

“His work ethic is amazing. He plays in central positions and has an incredible sense of goal – he has goals in his veins and we have to use him,” Guardiola said. “He has a natural talent, a gift, that is special.”

Having spent most of his career on the wings before this season, Foden told TNT Sports: “I seem to have some really technical play in the pockets and out wide, I can do that job but I prefer it in the middle.

“This year, I’m growing into the game. The manager spoke on showing rhythm and slowing the game down. I’ve added that to my game. He said, ‘you’ll grow into that position’. Because before I was going so quick, attacking every action. Now I’m getting the balance just right.”

The 23-year-old England international completed his hat-trick with two strikes seven minutes apart in the second half, including a rocket from 25 metres to move on to 21 goals across all competitions this season – by far the best scoring campaign of his career.

He is also just the fifth player from Europe’s big five leagues to bag at least 20 goals and 10 assists this term.

Guardiola also praised Foden’s teammates, particularly Rodri, who also provided the assist for City’s third goal. But the manager highlighted Foden’s contributions.

“When we’re right there (in the final third), (Foden) has the sense, he doesn’t need a lot of touches to put the ball into the net,” he added.

"Football it is the most difficult thing to score goals, the guy who puts the ball in the net. When you have that, it is a gift for the team, absolutely."

Rodri added of Foden: “Lost for words of this guy. He can do everything.

“He’s adding goals to his game. He can do it all, dribble. I don’t see a weakness in his game. He’s our most important player. When he doesn’t play, it’s a big difference.”

That is high praise from arguably City’s most influential player – Guardiola’s side have famously not lost a Premier League game he has played in for over a year.

Former City defender Joleon Lescott compared Foden to Wayne Rooney, who plundered 183 Premier League goals for Manchester United.

“I always speak so highly of him and Phil Foden is similar to him in that he is obsessed with football, completely,” Lescott said on TNT Sports.

“Rooney was the first player I met that wanted to win, had to win more than me – Phil has taken that to a whole new echelon. The desire to constantly have the ball at his feet, around hotels, the training ground.

“I worked with him at England Under-21s and we had to ban him from doing extra sessions after training because you couldn’t get him off the pitch.”

Although Haaland leads the league with 18 goals, Guardiola chose to rest his prolific striker along with midfielder Kevin de Bruyne with a league game looming on April 6 at Crystal Palace and a trip to Real Madrid for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on April 9.

“The schedule is terrible, (games every) three days, three days, three days,” the Spaniard said. “We need fresh legs and we only played three days ago against Arsenal. We needed it because of the schedule, so we needed the rest.”

Arsenal climbed above Liverpool to claim top spot on 68 points with a 2-0 victory over Luton Town on April 3. City are third, level on 67 points with the Reds, who can move back to the summit with a home win over cellar dwellers Sheffield United on April 4. That match took place after press time. REUTERS